Saturday, October 31, 2009

Happy Halloween to all of you bloggers out there!!! Today, I thought it would be absolutely perfect to share one of my favorite Halloween movies from 1986. It's called "The Worst Witch". I used to watch it all of the time when I was younger, and I loved it. I feel nostalgia rushing in when I see it. It seems though, that not many people know about this movie. I've asked many friends and many have never heard about it. Well, here is your chance! It's on youTube, of course I don't recommend watching the whole thing on youTube, but at least watch a little to get yourself in that Halloween spirit!!

Enjoy! Everyone have a safe and spooktacular Halloween! I can't wait to share pictures!

Thursday, October 29, 2009

This is at the very top of my Christmas list this year. If you have no smelled it, you must! It's Vera Wang's newest fragrance: Bouquet. You can get it at Sephora or Neiman's or Nordstrom's!! I know perfume is a very personal preference, so has anyone else tried this perfume? I think it smells sophisticated, but it has hints of citrus and floral scents, so it's perfect for the young adult.

This is another favorite perfume of mine. I've worn it since sophomore year in high school. It's called Baby Doll by Yves Saint Laurent. It's very sweet, so it's not for everyone, but it is a perfect every day fragrance!

What is your every day fragrance? Do you have a perfume for special occassions? Have a fabulous day! Also, my bff dLn just made a blog! She has the absolute best taste! Stop over to her blog and welcome her! You are sure to love it!Yours,sCe

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

I came across this video the other day and just have to share it with all of my readers. My new aspiration: to work for Google! What do you think about Google's working mentality? Would you like to work in an environment like that!? Have an amazing day!Yours,sCe

Monday, October 26, 2009

"If a little dreaming is dangerous, the cure for it is not to dream less but to dream more, to dream all the time." - Proust

I decided to do a post about if I had a million dollars to spend on anything for myself, what would it be! I think this can show a lot about your personality too! So tell me what you would spend your million dollars on!

Thursday, October 22, 2009

=an you believe that Halloween is right around the corner! In just one short week, you will be celebrating in black and orange! I am certainly excited of course because I just love holidays, and decorating for them! My plan for Halloween weekend is to eat plenty of pumpkin bars, drink pumpkin spice lattes and hot apple cider, and carve pumpkins! How do you like to carve your pumpkin? I was thinking this year that I would go with putting my monogram on my pumpkin! I would have a preppy monogrammed pumpkin! I've also seen other pumpkins that were painted pink and green, and if you look at the Lilly Pulitzer facebook page, you can see Lilly decorated pumpkins! How creative!I found the above picture on Google images, and think it is too cute! This would be so simple to do. Just trace the letters and then carve away! What are you plans for Halloween weekend? Have a great day!Yours,sCe

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

So recently I have received many e-mails from my lovely readers about how I do my hair to make it curly so I have decided to do a post on how to get curls like me!Those are the example of all of the different curls I do. I don't use curlers, I use usually a 1" or a 1.5" curling iron when curling my hair. I use the cheap curling irons that you can get from Target that are Conair or Revlon because my hair can hold a curl relatively well. If your hair doesn't hold a curl too well, I suggest getting a good quality curling iron, even something like Hot Tools would be best. So here are the steps I use to get party ready curls! (note: I have very thick hair so it usually takes me about 30 minutes curl my hair).

1. I know most hairstylists recommend to curl your hair when it is not freshly washed, however, I think it's best to first wash and condition your hair, brush it out wet, and then blow dry until completely dry.

2. Once your hair is dry, separate the top 50% of your hair from the bottom. I usually use a plastic clip and just put my hair in a ball on the top of my head.

3. Then separate the bottom half of your hair into two sides and start on one side by taking about 1 inch sections and curling them each. The more hair that is put into each curl, the less curly your hair will look or stay because the heavier the curl, the more likely it is to fall out. I try to make my curls tight at the beginning so they have time to fall out.

4. Once the bottom 50% is curled, I let the top 50% loose and do the same as I did to the bottom.

Monday, October 19, 2009

Today I thought I'd share one of my favorite quotes with you by Mother Theresa. It's so uplifting for this chilly Monday morning! What is your favorite quote that you live your life by?

People are often unreasonable and self-centered.Forgive them anyway.If you are kind, people will accuse you of ulterior motives.Be kind anyway.If you are honest, people may cheat you.Be honest anyway.If you find happiness, people may be jealous.Be happy anyway.The good you do today may be forgotten tomorrow.Do good anyway.Give the world the best you have and it may never be enough.Give your best anyway.For you see, in the end, it is between you and God.It never was between you and them anyway.-Mother Teresa

Friday, October 16, 2009

I came across David Yurman's ad campaign using Amber Valetta and I think these photos are stunning. She is a woman that possesses true beauty. She is simply elegant without makeup or touch ups. I really fell in love with her when she was in Hitch and played a socialite by the name of Allegra Cole.Who is a current actress or model that you love becuase of her amazing style, or her stunning beauty? I'm so interested to hear! Have a fantastic day (and keep warm, it's freezing here!)Yours,sCe

Thursday, October 15, 2009

During the fall and winter, it's really hard to find appropriate things to wear to dressier functions that will keep you somewhat warm, but also make a statement. I haven't been to Forever21's website in quite some time, and I have to say I was pleased to see some great things! I am loving this fancy brocade skirt. It is so versatile because you could dress it down with a simple black cardigan and flats for a more casual dinner party, or you could dress it up with tights and a black turtleneck or halter top for a dressier affair such as a holiday cocktail party!I'm often very skeptical about order off of F21's website because most of the time, I think you have to see the things in person to feel the quality and try the size on, but I think I'm going to go ahead and make this purchase! It seems like the perfect thing to wear for thanksgiving dinner! What are your thoughts on Forever 21 clothing?

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

This past Sunday was the start of Big/Little week! I am so happy with my incoming little, and cannot wait to tell her who I am!!! I have been getting guys to deliver her baskets every night! I think she is loving it! I even had someone deliver her favorite ice cream tonight! I thought I would share this stool with you! I made her a stool by purchasing an unfinished wooden stool from Michaels. I got a ton of different paints, and decided it would be adorable to put her monogram on top because as you all know, I'm obsessed with anything monogrammed. I did this freehand, but I'm sure I could have found some stencils to do it. I did a few layers of pink paint, then I did a few layers of green paint for her initials and then coated the entire stool with a sparkly/shiny coat. It really turned out great, and I'm sure my little will love it! I think it would also be really cute in a child's bathroom or room! You can paint it any color to math with any room!I also added a crown to each side of the "feet" becuase the crown is one of our symbols! I am so excited to give this to her! If you were in a sorority, what was your favorite thing about it?Have a great day!Yours,sCe

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

I am so lucky to still have my grandparents and have them live so close to me at home. I was even lucky enough to have had my grandparents come visit me last weekend along with my family. Growing up I have always had a great relationship with my grandparents and unfortunately my mom's parents both died a few years back. I think a lot of people are so busy, and just keep moving forward throughout their day's and weeks to not have time to just take a step back and appreciate their grandparents or even parents. Every year when I leave for school, my grammie gets me a new tote and fills it with so many goodies. It's really a special gift. This year in an envelope I received a poem that touched my heart. It's called "Grandma's Pearls of Wisdom":

Grandma's Pearls of Wisdom

I've traveled paths you've yet to walkLearned lessons old and newAnd now this wisdom of my lifeI'm blessed to share with you.

Let kindness spread like sunshineEmbrace those who are sadRespect their dignity, give them joyAnd leave them feeling glad.

Forgive those who might hurt youAnd though you have your prideListen closely to their viewpointTry to see the other side.

Walk softly when you are angryTry not to take offenseInvoke your sense of humorLaughter's power is immense.

Express what you are feelingYour beliefs you should upholdDon't shy away from what is rightBe courageous and be bold.

Keep hope right in your pocketIt will guide you day by dayTake it out when it is neededWhen it's near you'll find a way.

Remember friends and familyOf which you are a precious partLove deeply and love trulyGive freely from the heart.

The world is far from perfectThere's conflict and there's strifeBut you still can make a differenceBy how you live your life.

And so I'm very blessed to knowThe wonders you will doBecause you are my granddaughterAnd I believe in you.

It is truly a beautiful poem and I will keep in tucked away in my wallet forever. So today, take some time to just stop what you are doing and appreciate all of the wonderful people that are in your life. If you have a granddaughter, pass this poem onto her; I'm sure she would love it just as much as I did. Have a wonderful day!Yours,sCe

Monday, October 12, 2009

This weekend was simply amazing! Friday was my Big's (big sister in my sorority) 21st birthday! So to celebrate 10 of our good friends packed our bags and headed to Baltimore for Saturday night! Her parents planned it all for her, it was so amazing! We stayed at the Inner Harbor in Baltimore at the Pier 5 hotel. It was so great! First, we all got dressed up in our cutest cocktail dresses, and then we had a private room at Ruth Chris. I had a mini filet and crabcakes with mashed potatoes and for dessert, sinful chocolate cake. Everything was absolutely delicious and perfect, plus it was so amazing to have our own private dining area. Then afer dinner, we headed back up to our room to get ready and then we all headed to Mist which is a new bar that just opened last month where we had a VIP table! We had a blast, and we actually got to meet Michael Phelps who was there! My big got to take a picture with him becuase she was the birthday girl, but he wouldn't take any other pictures! But nonetheless, it was really cool to see him in real life. Although I do have to say, he wasn't the nicest person. But I can't really judge, since I only met him for a minute.

How was your weekend? Did you do anything exciting? Have an amazing day!Yours,sCe

Friday, October 9, 2009

Michael Buble's new album, "Crazy Love" is out today! I am so excited, I will be purchasing this on iTunes today and cannot wait to listen to the whole thing. I already love the single "Haven't Met You Yet" so I'm sure this album will not disappoint! If you have had a chance to hear this album, what do you think? I love that he re-does the classics. I love when anyone re-does the classics. My favorite was when Rod Stewart did the Great American Songbooks where he did all of the classics. I probabaly still listen to that weekly! Are you going to be purchasing Buble's newest tunes?Have a great day!Yours,sCe

Thursday, October 8, 2009

I love working out. I try and work out as often as possible and when I do, listening to my iPod is a must. The music really helps get me into my workouts. I thought I would share with you my favorite work out songs that really get my heart beating! So here is Summer Wind's workout playlist:1. Love Drunk- Boys Like Girls2. Good Girls Go Bad- Cobra Starship3. Whatcha Say- Jason Derulo4. All The Above- Maino5. Grey Street- Dave Matthews6. September- Earth, Wind, and Fire7. Electric Feel- MGMT8. One More Time- Daft Punk9. Graduate- Third Eye Blind10. Beautiful Day- U211. Jump- Van Halen12. The Right Kind of Wrong- Leanne Rhymes13. Man In The Mirror- Michael Jackson14. Party In The USA- Miley Cyrus15. Replay- Sean Kingston

What are you favorite workout songs? Do you make a workout playlist on your iPod? I'd love to hear suggestions to add to my playlist! Have an amazing day!Yours,sCe

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

As I have said before, I am a sister of the Zeta Tau Alpha sorority, more formally known as a woman's fraternity. Zeta's philanthropy is BCA or breast cancer awareness. This is happening all throughout the month of October. Two nights ago, we hosted an event called survivor night where we had breast cancer survivors come to speak to whoever wanted to go. We also had a doctor from the local hospital come to talk about breast cancer.1 in 8 women will get breast cancer in their lifetime. By the time a lump is found, it has usually been there fore 8 to 10 years. Early detection is the best way to survive this cancer. At age 25, you should start getting yearly mammograms and breast exams.For my sorority this really hits home with us because many of my sorority sisters have had a family member whether distant or close with this awful cancer. In the month of October Zeta Tau Alpha is on a crusade to raise as much money as possible for this life changing disease. We host events, sell hats, t-shirts, and cookbooks. This Saturday we have a 5k for breast cancer awareness.If you would like to donate any amount of money whether it be $1 or $100, click here. This is the website that is raising money particularly for my chapter Zeta Tau Alpha (Gamma Kappa chapter). They take all major credit cards and checkout is through paypal. Please think about donating even if all you can spare is $1.

"The Gamma Kappa chapter of Zeta Tau Alpha would like to extend an invitation to you to contribute in any way to our philanthropy of Breast Cancer Awareness through the registration to our 5k or through any type of donation or well-wishes. Our philanthropy is extremely important to us, as we know that breast cancer is a terrible disease that affects each of us in a different way. We hope to do as much as we can to add awareness to the cause, and raise as much money as possible towards finding the cure!"

If you do donate, send me an e-mail at summerwind41490@gmail.com and let me know so I can do a special thank you post for everyone who donates. Have a wonderful day.Yours,sCe

Tuesday, October 6, 2009

As usual, every once in a while I post my Talbots favorites. I haven't done this in a while and just popped on the website today and found some adorable and cozy items sure to please people of all ages. Here is what I'm lusting for:Ruffled Cardigan Sweater $89- I especially love the midnight color!Bias Tweed Cardigan $110-- This looks so comfortable for those chilly morning errands

Lichen Tweed Jacket $246- I love this brown color. You could definitely dress this up or down for any event!

Woven Twill Jacket $199- I love the colors harvest and honey. They are sure to add a pop of color to any outfit!

Glenn Plaid Shell $79- I love this for out to dinner with a black skirt and black tights, but it can also work for the day by just putting a cardigan over top.

Croc-Embossed Tote $249- I love this bag. The gold hardware isn't too overwhelming making this bag a classic staple

Have you gotten anything that you love from Talbots recently? Have a lovely day!Yours,sCe

Monday, October 5, 2009

This weekend was simply lovely! My grandparents, aunt, family friends, and parents and sister all came down to my school to visit me! It was so nice to see them and spend time with them. They even brought my pup! Friday night we went to my favorite restaurant and Saturday we went on a day trip. This coming weekend I have exciting plans that I will fill you in on next week! It includes a little black dress! I am so excited!I decided to try out the high wasted skirt trend. This little black skirt was purchased for $9.80 at forever 21. It was such a steal, and for that price, I couldn't help to try it out! I paired the skirt with a wool shell from J.Crew, purchased last year and black peep toe heels. Have you tried this trend out? For me, I think it was a really fun outfit, but I will reserve this for nights when I go out and need do look a little more dressed up at school. I don't think I would wear this out to a nice restaurant because it's a little more on the "less conservative" side.

Friday, October 2, 2009

This past weekend I hit the road with my Big Sister in my sorority and we headed to her house in Maryland! I was so happy to be invited home with her, we always have so much fun together. When we got there on Friday, we headed to National Harbor which is awesome. Her family and I ate at a really neat restaurant called Grace's Mandarin. The food was pretty good. We had edamame for an appetizer, then we had sushi (wasn't the best I have had) and I had chicken lo mein for my main meal which was delicious! Well, while we were sitting there, we noticed a couple sitting down for dinner. I will call my Big's dad, Mr. Big (haha sounds like SATC). Well, Mr. Big's dad noticed that the guy was a player from the Redskins. Of course we got all giggly becuase it was a "celebrity" finally at the end of dinner, we asked to get a picture with him. He was SO incredibly nice, and his wife snapped the picture.The girls with Lavar Arrington

The coolest thing, that I didn't find out until I told my dad that I met him is that he is from Pittsburgh and played college football at Penn State. He played high school football at a neighboring high school, and played at Penn State and then was drafted to the redskins and then played for the giants.Saturday we went to my Big's little sister's soccer game. It was so cute to see them play! Later that night we went to dinner at a place called the Original Steakhouse which was delicious. I had a steak salad and we got nachos as an appetizer. Everything was so good there!On Sunday, we watched Ghosts of Girlfriends past with Jennifer Garner and Matthew Mcconaughey. It was a cute movie, but I wouldn't recommend it. We also checked out the Steelers game, and they so sadly lost in the last 30 seconds of the game.

Thursday, October 1, 2009

A few years back, my mother came across this amazing recipe for pumpkin bars. They are called Paul's Pumpkin bars. As I've said in previous posts, I am in love with everything pumpkin. What better time for me to share this recipe with you all than fall! These are quick and easy to make, and the icing is delicious!! They are perfect to take to a fall bon-fire, a birthday treat for your child to bring to school, to send to your favorite college student, or just to spice up any dessert time or breakfast (yes I eat them in the morning with coffee, they pair so well together!).

INGREDIENTS

4 eggs

1 2/3 cups white sugar

1 cup vegetable oil

1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

ICING:

1 (3 ounce) package cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

In a medium bowl, mix the eggs, sugar, oil, and pumpkin with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Stir into the pumpkin mixture until thoroughly combined.

Spread the batter evenly into an ungreased 10x15 inch jellyroll pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes in preheated oven. Cool before frosting.

To make the frosting, cream together the cream cheese and butter. Stir in vanilla. Add confectioners' sugar a little at a time, beating until mixture is smooth. Spread evenly on top of the cooled bars. Cut into squares.